Finding Yourself in the Midst of Motherhood

There’s this funny little pause that happens after the morning chaos — when the last kid is (mostly) dressed, the cereal has been swept off the floor, and the house takes a deep breath right along with me. And in that moment, somewhere between reheating my coffee for the third time and finding a sock in the dog bowl, I think… Wait, who even am I outside all of this mess management? Not just “Mom,” but me — the whole person who used to have hobbies and thoughts and playlists that weren’t all Disney Princess songs.

Motherhood has a beautiful way of stretching us, doesn't it? We pour out so much love, so much energy, so much prayer. It’s easy to forget that we, too, are allowed to grow and explore — not just as caretakers, but as women, as creatives, as children of God.

Lately, I’ve been learning to invest in myself again. Not in big, flashy ways, but in quiet, meaningful ones: picking up a new hobby, sketching out apron patterns, learning to embroider a verse that once carried me through a long night. These small acts feel sacred — not distractions from my family, but offerings for them. Because when we create from a place of joy, our children get to see a woman who is alive and blooming, not just surviving. A woman who’s identity is not just in servanthood but creative realities as well.

And then, of course, there are the messes.

The paint spills. The tangled thread. The flour dusted across the floor from tiny helping hands. These once would have overwhelmed me (And still sometimes does) — it may take  multiple deep breaths but I try to see them for what they really are: evidence of life, and of grace. Every smudge and pile is a whispered reminder of prayers I once spoke through tears. Lord, give me a home full of life. Give me laughter and noise. Let me feel needed.

He did. And now, I learn to meet these moments — even the messy, undone ones — with gratitude.

If you’re in a season of feeling lost in the rhythms of motherhood, I want to gently remind you: you’re still in there. Try something new. Pick up the pencil, the needle, the camera, the book. Say yes to the thing that lights a spark. It’s not selfish — it’s stewardship of the soul God gave you.

We’re not just raising children — we’re becoming, too.

And becoming is always a little messy.

Keep blooming, even in the chaos.

With love and thread,

Mary